Day 8 Alvaiazere to Rabacal

We were up and ready to be on the road by 0430, yes I said we, Yotty was back in business and ready for the challenge ahead.

As we left the town we could see clouds and it was raining slightly, my heart lifted but it was to be short lived, we had twenty miles ahead of us of which would mostly be off the roads on tracks, we climbed steeply away in the darkness.

We passed through Laranjeiras and continued climbing, once we peaked we dropped down onto tracks. Yotty was getting very tired so we had a film quiz which made the time pass and lifted him (he won) 

We were walking through olive groves.

Soon we arrived at Venda and were set upon by two dogs. I fended the beasts off with my walking pole, they were only small but they meant business.

Then it was back onto tracks,this was turning into a beautiful walk.

I placed a stone for my daughter Grace and her husband Ryan; it was a beautiful spot and I think they would have approved. I am thinking of you both.

This was walking at its best and we both made the most of being off the roads.

We stopped for our first break, note arrow .

Yotty places a stone for his family.

One had to be very careful as the going underfoot was demanding.

Our next port of call was Ansiao, which a is big town and we were set on finding us some tarts as our         

tally had dropped.

   We were well and truly back in business.

Well we found them alright,they were huge and had we had two each!! 

    We left town feeling slightly sick.

 

     We were soon back onto tracks and into forests where they were draining the sap from the trees.

 

   

   

   

   

   

Today really reminded me of my last camino, this is the kind of walking I am used to. We climbed up into Alvorge and it was getting very humid indeed. We were soaked in our own sweat and the going began to get very tough again,I  was feeling totally drained. We stopped for some water and Oscar came round the corner.

   

  

   

 We mustered our strength for the last 5 miles to Rabacal.

 

We were both dreading the road section coming shortly, I was drinking so much water to keep hydrated

   

 

It was back onto tracks for the last 2 miles, it went on forever, putting one foot in front of the other was becoming very hard indeed.

 

 

Not sure we want to go there, it has a nasty ring about it!!!

At last we arrived.

    

    

Dog on a blog time, plus a bonus one.

 

   

We had some lunch then checked into our hostel, we are sharing a dorm with Oscar?

   

I have seen more meat on a butchers pencil.

Today has been tough. I feel beyond being tired, thank goodness tomorrow is our last twenty mile walk for three days. We have got 13, 15 and 10 miles the following days, if I am honest I need a break, but if I am to make Porto by the 14th, I cannot take one, otherwise I will miss a day.

Yotty has been superb, he has bounced back and is really upbeat, he lay on some chairs and this is what happened within seconds, I was so envious, the trouble with this blog it takes up so much time when I should be sleeping, It  has to be done though.Martin will tell me off when he arrives on the 16 th as he saw what it did to me on the last camino.

Stats for today.

Walked 19.20 miles

Walking time 6 hours 45 minutes

Distance to Santiago 247 miles

Distance covered 134 miles

Portuguese Tarts consumed 31

Update bigger than us 33 Tarts